Madison County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.8 | 32,191 people · 127th most distressed in Georgia
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Madison County, GA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.8 — 836th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Georgia, it ranks 127th of 159 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Madison County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 75.8 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 75.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 93
Rent-to-Income Ratio 77
Business Formation Rate 43
House Price Change (YoY) 49
Legal Distress 75.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 75
Consumer Credit Distress 72.3
Debt in Collections 69
Medical Debt 66
Auto Loan Delinquency 58
Credit Card Delinquency 92
Uninsured Rate 92
Subprime Credit Population 69
Housing Cost Burden 42.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 56
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 32
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 29
Homeownership Rate 44
Structural Poverty 39.7
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 46
Income vs. State Median 18
Child Poverty Rate 45
Disability Rate 72
Transfer Income Dependency 41

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Madison County
Madison County, GA 61.8 Elevated —
Elbert County, GA 74.6 Serious +12.8
Clarke County, GA 73.6 Serious +11.8
Franklin County, GA 64.1 Elevated +2.4
Hart County, GA 62.4 Elevated +0.6
Oglethorpe County, GA 61.1 Elevated -0.6
Banks County, GA 54.4 Elevated -7.3
Jackson County, GA 51.4 Elevated -10.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Madison County
Randolph County, MO 61.8 Elevated +0.0
Otero County, CO 61.8 Elevated +0.0
Jackson Parish, LA 61.6 Elevated -0.1
Fayette County, AL 61.9 Elevated +0.2
Lincoln County, OK 61.6 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Madison County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Madison County

Find an Attorney

State Bar of Georgia Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of Georgia Lawyer Referral Service 404-527-8700

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Madison County residents at no cost.

Atlanta Legal Aid Society 404-524-5811
Georgia Legal Services Program 1-888-257-4567
Georgia Legal Aid
State Bar of Georgia Lawyer Referral Service 404-527-8700

Self-Help Resources

Georgia Legal Aid — Housing Self-help guides for Georgia foreclosure process, rights, and defenses
DCA Georgia HAF Resources Assistance programs and housing counselor referrals

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Madison County, Georgia?

    Madison County has a County Distress Index score of 61.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 836th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 127th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Madison County?

    The primary driver of distress in Madison County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 75.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Madison County compare to neighboring counties?

    Madison County (61.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Elbert County, GA (74.6); Clarke County, GA (73.6); Franklin County, GA (64.1).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Elevated zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Madison County's score of 61.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Madison County's CDI score?

    Madison County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Madison County?

    Madison County, Georgia has a population of approximately 32,191 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.